4H Aragon: Wednesday Paddock Notes

LMP2s to run at full power in ELMS in 2024

A bulletin sent to the teams this week, seen by DSC, has confirmed that the LMP2 cars will return to their original 600 bhp power level of and will weigh in at 930 kilos in 2024.

LMP2 cars have been running heavier and with less power in the ELMS since 2020, as part of a drive to create a clearer performance gap between the Hypercar class and LMP2 class cars in the FIA WEC. The changes were made across the board in the ELMS and FIA WEC as a result.

Cars selected for the 2024 Le Mans 24 Hours where the ACO has made it clear that “at least 15” cars will be selected, will run with performance restrictions.

The bulletin also revealed that the current class structure, which separates LMP2 and LMP2 Pro/Am entries will also remain, with the ACO continuing to offer automatic invitations to both category champions going forward too.

Feeling hot, hot hot!

The weather trackside this week at Motorland Aragon so far has been simply punishing, with the temperature exceeding 40 degrees both yesterday and today.

It’s making it a rather challenging meeting for everyone on site, particularly photographers out trackside without cover, mechanics wearing fire suits in pit lane and the drivers in the cockpit.

A trip down pit lane reveals that the decision to schedule this meeting in August isn’t proving to be especially popular amongst the teams thus far…

To combat the issue, the timetable features breaks in the middle of the day so that teams are not running when it’s hottest and an air-conditioned hospitality box above the pit lane has been set up as a rest area for team personnel to use.

The full timetable can be found HERE >>>

Aragon challenges

In addition to the searing heat this week, the teams are having to deal with a circuit running counter-clockwise with (uniquely in the ELMS scent history)  the pit lane being on driver’s left here at Aragon.

This throws up some challenges, one being refuelling on the other side of the car, something that some cars need modifying for.  JMW Motorsport told DSC that the process of installing the fuel fill point on the other side of its Ferrari 488 GTE cost around £15,000 and required two days of work.

In addition, at each pit stops the mechanics will need to change their usual routine, as the tyres being changes need to be disgarded to the left rather than the right. It may prove to be jarring for some!

Calendar coming soon

The 2024 ELMS calendar, which many in the paddock expected to see this week, is set to be released next week. DSC understands that the list of circuits is unlikely to change, though some shuffling of dates is likely.

This weekend’s layout

Motorland Aragon has multiple layouts. That and the local climate has always made it a popular venue for testing.

This weekend the ELMS will be utilising the 5.3km, 18-turn Grand Prix configuration with the long backstraight broken up by Turns 12, 13, 14 and 15.

Laskarotos in at DKR

Greek racer Andreas Laskaratos is set to return to the ELMS paddock this weekend at Motorland Aragon for the first time since his season-ending accident at Portimao in 2021.

Laskaratos will join DKR Engineering in the #3 LMP2 Pro-Am Oreca 07 Gibson alongside Nathaneal Berthon and Sebastian Alvarez replacing Tom van Rumpuy. This is because van Rompuy and his wife are expecting a child this week.

Ligier European Series entry

In addition to this weekend being the Aragon debut for the ELMS and Le Mans Cup, it is also the first trip to the Spanish circuit for the Ligier European Series. This weekend there are 18 cars on the entry, with 11 JS P4s and seven JS 2Rs.

There are a few changes of note too. Having raced a Ligier JS2 R last month at Le Castellet (with Christophe Weber in the #29), Pegasus Racing team manager Julien Schell is set to compete in the JS P4 category. He will be taking part in the Aragon round in the #16 car alongside Yuki Tanaka.

Meanwhile, at HPRacing by Monza Garage, Greek racers Kolovos Georgios-Periklis and Kaitatzis Panagiotis will be making their comeback in the championship after taking part in the inaugural round in Barcelona in April in the #4.

In the JS2 R category, Maximus Mayer in the #10 RLR MSport, who used to race with the Racing Reverend Simon Butler, will be tackle the races solo here. Meanwhile, Ligier owner Jacques Nicolet in the #86 Les Deux Arbres will be driving for the first time this season with a team-mate: Bastien Ostian.

After Barcelona last April, Jordan Meyer will be back at the wheel of the #29 Pegasus Racing car, but this time solo. Christophe Weber, who usually drives the French team’s car, is absent.

The one-hour races will take place on Saturday. Race 1 starts at 9:00, followed by Race 2 at 14:00. Both races will be streamed live on the Ligier European Series YouTube Channel and Facebook page.

ENTRY LIST >>>

New Murphy truck

The new driver line-up for Murphy Prototypes in Le Mans Cup brings with it a new truck. John Ferguson’s presence in the #48 car sees the Duqueine housed under an awning on one of RAM Racing’s haulers. Ferguson is now the owner of the Silverstone-based squad and will drive with Will Bratt this weekend.

Images courtesy of ELMS and Ligier